The application generally relates to a method and apparatus for cutting a groove in a road surface. The application relates more specifically to a method and apparatus for cutting grooves having a sinusoidal profile in a road surface for alerting a driver when a vehicle is outside of the traffic lane.
As motor vehicle operators become fatigued or distracted, the possibility of the vehicle drifting off the road or over the center line and into the opposite lane of traffic increases, either of which can potentially lead to disastrous results. To minimize this occurrence, a series of depressions are cut along the shoulders or center line of the roadway, referred to as ground-in rumble strips. The purpose of the rumble strip is to alert drivers when they have drifted outside their traffic lane by creating a sound and causing vibration to their motor vehicle as its tires travel over the depressions.
One problem associated with rumble strips is that the noise generated by tires travelling over the depressions can be a significant disturbance to homes and businesses located near the roadway. The noise that is desirable for alerting inattentive drivers may be a nuisance to persons living adjacent to the roadway. One solution to reduce the noise levels significantly is to provide a sinusoidal rail or strip along the traffic lanes. These rails are designed to have a sinusoidal profile that generates interior noise and vibration within the vehicle to alert the driver, while generating substantially less external noise to lessen the disturbances to adjacent residents and property owners.
One example of such a rail system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,168,886 to Loader. Loader discloses depositing molten material on the surface of the roadway or path and molding the molten material so that its upper surface has a generally sinusoidal profile. Loader uses a pair of substantially longitudinal rails positioned on the surface of the road so as to be spaced apart from each other such that they are substantially aligned with the intended direction of travel. The upper surface of the rails exhibits the required profile which extends along the length of said rails and the rails are positioned on the road so as to be mutually parallel. A disadvantage of such surface mounted rails is that they are not compatible with existing snow plows and road maintenance equipment that scrapes or otherwise removes objects from the road surface. Since the rails project above the road surface and are not integral with the road surface, they may be worn and broken due to heavy truck wheels and lack of lateral support. In addition, construction of sinusoidal rails on top of a road surface adds to the cost of road construction materials and delays completion due to the time to install the rails.
Further, when applying a sinusoidal rail system to a road surface, care must be taken in butting two strips together so that the profile peaks and troughs match up. Also, the edges must be tamped down so as to avoid producing a tripping hazard. Thermoplastic applications can become slippery when wet and create safety issues.
Intended advantages of the disclosed systems and/or methods satisfy one or more of these needs or provide other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.